The $10 billion expansion of Fab 8, the GlobalFoundries computer chip factory, is happening so rapidly that the company is going to use as many as 200 workers from IBM to help complete the project.

GlobalFoundries has 2,200 employees at Fab 8, as well as 600 contractors working to help the plant with the expansion of its 300,000-square-foot clean room.

Although it is in hiring mode, the company will be adding as many as 200 IBM employees from Dutchess County and Vermont to help install and prepare manufacturing equipment in the clean room. The first piece of new equipment — called "tools" in the industry — will be put in starting Thursday.

"In addition to our recruiting efforts for direct employees, we have entered into a contractor services agreement with IBM to bring experienced industry talent to Fab 8 to support the aggressive ramp and expansion of Fab 8 through the end of March next year," GlobalFoundries spokesman Travis Bullard said Wednesday.

Bullard said the agreement with IBM, which has been downsizing in recent years in both Vermont and at sites in Poughkeepsie and East Fishkill, has nothing to do with the recent hiring of Thomas Caulfield as the new general manager of Fab 8. Caulfield once ran IBM's computer chip factory in East Fishkill.

"It's just a coincidence that he once worked for IBM," Bullard said. "Tom is one of many ex-IBMers to join GlobalFoundries. It's a small word, after all, in our industry."

Bullard also said that the use of IBM workers to outfit Fab 8 also has no connection to rumors that GlobalFoundries may eventually buy IBM's microelectronics business, including the East Fishkill factory.

Bullard said it is impossible to respond to questions about hypothetical scenarios.

"There are rumors that we are one of a few companies that could buy IBM's semiconductor manufacturing business, but we do not comment on rumor or speculation," Bullard said.

GlobalFoundries is ramping up production capabilities at Fab 8 as it begins a manufacturing and development agreement with Samsung to make next-generation mobile computing chips that could include processors for companies like Apple.